English names and surnames of men have a special history of origin, have vivid features and a peculiar phonetic composition. The emergence and formation of nicknames is the result of various
historical processes. Studies have shown that Old English names were similar to the words common at that time, both as a noun and an adjective. The only difference then available was the use of the "-ing" particle, which was added to the nickname and denoted that a person belongs to a particular genus. For example, the relationship of father and son.
Further rituals of naming were complicated, new traditions and customs were added. For example, in the 16th century the Protestant faith came to the lands of England, and it became popular to take the English names of men from the pages of the New and Old Testaments. Puritanism gave rise to other rules. For example, the nickname for the newborn should have been chosen not by happy young parents, but by the godparents, who were believed to accompany him not only on sinful earth, but also in heaven.
However, in the pursuit of a beautiful pronunciation, many fell into disarray, since not all the nicknames available in the above sources were positive.
At that time, it was also possible to come up with the English names of men on their own. In such cases, the harmony and meaning of the nickname given to the child was directly dependent on the imagination and speech skills of the godparents. After some time, complex names began to appear, consisting of several words, as well as individual phrases. Typical examples of such “estate” are nicknames: Sorry-for-Sin (Sorry-About-Sin) or Hew-Agag-in-pieces-before-the-Lord ( Ruby-Agag-On-Pieces-Before-The-Face of the Lord )
In the modern world, similar English names for men are rare. Increasingly, parents try to give their child a special, but uncomplicated nickname. Nevertheless, under the influence of some traditions, double names became widespread . Thus, first comes the first name, then the middle, and only then the surname. A similar structure is a hallmark possessed by modern English full names.
The process of becoming a surname also has a long history. There are several groups that differ in the way the second nickname is formed.
- By the name of the territory or locality in which the family lives. Here, both the names of some areas and areas of residence, as well as generally accepted designations of the relief and features of the area, were used.
- From nicknames. It must be admitted that in this way not only many widespread surnames were formed, but also English names of men. This may include some distinctive features of human behavior and character, which have passed into the category of common meanings.
- By occupation. This group traditionally includes all surnames derived from the names of any professions.
- From personal nicknames. The surname is not without reason called a middle name. There are many cases when the name of the father became the last name for the son.
Currently, the most popular English names are: Mason, Jack, Logan, Oliver, Ryan, Aiden and others.